Eden Worthington: Spektrum
Ahead of the massive Cristoph gig this weekend, we talked to Eden Worthington – the architect of one of Sydney’s most reputable weekly parties… Spektrum.
RR: Spektrum has been tearing up Sydney’s house and techno scene since its conception last year. How did it all start?
Eden: After moving to Sydney back in 2014 I found it difficult to secure gigs. The Sydney house & techno scene is a very close-knit community and after a year of playing house parties, small bars & restaurants we decided to throw our own party in one of the function rooms of The Burdekin - just for friends and people we knew who didn't have the chance to play out. After going from a monthly party to fortnightly then eventually taking over the entire venue weekly, it’s safe to say we've had a rollercoaster of a year!
RR: Certainly have mate. For anyone that has been living under a rock, how would you describe a typical Spektrum event?
Eden: We try our best to focus on atmosphere and that can only be created by music and production. If I had to sum it up in three words they would be exciting, underground & loose.
RR: Sounds about right haha. Spektrum has played host to some huge international acts. Which has been your favourite gig so far?
Eden: That's a difficult one. Two of our most successful shows have been Jay Lumen earlier in the year and Pig&Dan more recently. Both have been sell-outs and the atmosphere in the main room has been electric.
RR: We’re particularly excited about Cristoph on the 16th December. What kind of set can we expect from him?
Eden: Well if anyone has listened to Cristoph in the early years he was renowned for his bouncy/energetic tech-house sound, but more recently for his collaborations with Jeremy Olander & records out on Eric Prydz’s label; so we’d expect a more progressive set. His Knee Deep In Sound podcast is a good example of how he can morph three different genres flawlessly. Highly recommend giving it a listen if you’re unsure about attending the event as we guarantee it’ll change your mind! One of my all-time favourites.
RR: Yep, that podcast is unreal. Last month, you curated a new progressive house night (Progress 01). How did the launch go?
Eden: In all honesty we didn't have the best launch due to a lack of brand awareness and only a short amount of time to promote. We didn't get the numbers, but as with anything, perseverance is the key and we have a couple of big headliners that we’ll be bringing to Sydney under the Progress umbrella in the new year.
RR: We’ve also seen you throw down some great sets; how is your own DJ career going?
Eden: With Spektrum expanding at such a rate I've been concentrating mostly on growing the business and building relationships with promoters, DJs and agents… so I haven't had the time to promote myself properly in the past. I got into events to simply DJ more but as time has gone on I’ve found myself DJing less and letting our regulars take the limelight.
RR: What's the most memorable set you've ever played?
Eden: Playing Revolver over in Melbourne has been the highlight of 2017 and a massive personal achievement. Looking forward to 2018 as I’ve been asked to play at Elrow Sydney - that will take some beating!
RR: Ok… If you could pick any DJ, who would you love to see perform at a Spektrum event?
Eden: It would be Solomun. I remember watching him warm up for Heidi back in 2007 at Sankeys in Manchester when I first started clubbing. It was the first time I’d heard deep house and it kickstarted my love of music. I’ve been lucky enough to watch Solomon around 9 times over the years and he’s never disappointed.
RR: Solomun would be epic! So what does the future hold for you and for Spektrum?
Eden: 2018 is shaping up to be a massive year – we have the Adana Twins in January and we’ve been booked to play at some of Australia’s best house & techno festivals as well as locking in some huge artists for Spektrum. Hopefully we can carry on growing and people will keep on supporting us and the event.
RR: Final question... outside the music scene, you lead another life as a well-respected barber. If you could cut the barnet of any DJ, who would it be and why??
Eden: Having a natter and cracking a couple of beers while sorting out John Digweed’s awful barnet would be pretty interesting!
RR: Haha now that would be amazing! See you at Cristoph mate.
Get your tickets to Spektrum’s next event with Cristoph here